Community Briefing: More MoPac closures in store this week; public input sought on watering rules

Tuesday

Jan 17, 2012 at 12:01 AMDec 12, 2018 at 8:34 AM

Travis County

AUSTIN

More MoPac closures this week

As it did this weekend, the construction of flyovers at the MoPac Boulevard (Loop 1) and U.S. 290 West interchange will shut down the northbound and southbound main lanes of MoPac on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

The closures will last from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. on both nights to allow crews to lift and set in place beams for the flyovers.

Those beams will be in the air above the main lanes, making it unsafe for traffic to move under them during the work, the Texas Department of Transportation said.

During the closures, northbound traffic will be diverted to the frontage road at the U.S. 290-Texas 71 exit just south of U.S. 290 and allowed to re-enter the main lanes north of U.S. 290 at Gaines Ranch. Southbound traffic will take the flyover to westbound U.S. 290, exit at Monterey Oaks Drive-Industrial Oaks Drive and circle back on the eastbound U.S. 290 frontage road to return to MoPac south of U.S. 290.

— American-Statesman staff

AUSTIN

LCRA to seal water deal

The Lower Colorado River Authority, the West Travis County Public Utility Agency and others are scheduled to sign final documents in the sale of the West Travis County Regional Water and Wastewater systems today.

Officials from LCRA and the West Travis County Public Utility Agency will sign a purchase agreement during a brief ceremony. Also during the ceremony, LCRA, the City of Bee Cave, and West Travis County municipal utility districts No. 3 and No. 5 will execute a settlement agreement and motion to dismiss the appeal of LCRA's rates for the West Travis County water and wastewater systems.

In November 2010, LCRA's board of directors agreed to sell LCRA-owned water utilities, including the West Travis County Regional Water and Wastewater systems. The board voted in 2011 to sell the West Travis County systems to the West Travis County Public Utility Agency, which was formed by and includes representatives of the City of Bee Cave, West Travis County MUD No. 5 and Hays County.

The ceremony will take place at 9:30 a.m. at LCRA's Redbud Center, 3601 Lake Austin Blvd., in Austin. The signing is open to the public.

— American-Statesman staff

AUSTIN

Input sought on watering rules

Austin Water utility is reviewing the structure of its current watering restrictions and codes and asking for residents' input at a workshop from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday.

Attendees will be asked to review specific restrictions, such as watering schedules and limits on carwashing, and weigh in on how the city should regulate water use in times of drought.

The workshop will be in Room 104 of Austin Water's headquarters at 625 E. 10th St.

Austin has been in Stage 2 twice since 2009. From those two occurrences, Austin Water officials received extensive feedback about what is and isn't working in the current water conservation code.

If the drought does worsen, the Lower Colorado River Authority — from which Austin gets its water — would ask customers to cut back even more than Stage 2 restrictions require.

— American-Statesman staff

Austin Community College

Vehicle charging sites now live

The Austin Community College District now has charging stations at campuses and administrative sites in Austin and Round Rock.

Each location has four charging spots open to the public; an ACC parking permit is not required. Parking and charging in the spaces are limited to four hours at a time.

"Providing electric-vehicle charging stations extends the college's commitment to sustainability," said Andy Kim, ACC's director of environmental stewardship. "This allows ACC to create a support network for ecofriendly vehicles and to make sustainable living more accessible to students, staff, and the community."

Art produced by patients at the Austin State Hospital will be up for sale at the Insights Art Show and Sale from 6 to 9 p.m. Jan. 26 at 600 River St.

Many of Austin's top professional artists also donate works. All proceeds support year-round programs for children and adults facing obstacles with mental illness.

Tickets are $35 and available at www.ashvolunteers.org or by calling Cindy Reed at 512-419-2330.

— American-Statesman staff

AUSTIN

Free fitness challenge to kick off

If you made a New Year's resolution to get fit this year, the Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department can help.

It is starting its free Active Austin 10-Week Challenge with an orientation from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Jan. 28 in the conference room at Twin Oaks Branch Library, 1800 S. Fifth St.

The program is offered four times a year and allows people to sign up individually or as a team with family members, work colleagues or friends. It provides options for participants to walk with others or to create a group for biking, swimming, skating or dancing. Groups can choose when, where and how they will be active.

The program seeks to encourage those who have not been very active to get fit in a fun way with teams or buddies. To register, contact Sabrina McCarty at 972-5463, or email sabrina.mccarty@austintexas.gov.

— American-Statesman staff

Williamson County

LIBERTY HALL

Deputy, man hurt in car crash

A Williamson County sheriff's deputy and another man were hospitalized Monday with serious injuries after a car collision near Liberty Hill, a spokesman with the Williamson County sheriff's office said.

The senior deputy had been answering a call about an attempted suicide about 1:15 p.m. and was in a marked car with his lights and sirens on, when he crossed Texas 29's intersection with U.S. 183 and was struck by another car traveling south on U.S. 183, said Sgt. John Foster.

Both the deputy and the driver of the other vehicle, whose names were not released Monday, were taken to St. David's Round Rock Medical Center, where they were in serious but stable condition late Monday afternoon, Foster said.

The Texas Department of Public Safety will investigate, Foster said.

— American-Statesman staff

GEORGETOWN

Superintendent to host meeting

Superintendent Joe Dan Lee will host a community meeting at 10 a.m. Jan. 25 at the East View High School Theater, 4490 E. University Ave. The presentation, "A Report to Citizens," will include an update on the school district, construction projects, state funding and the new state-mandated test, STAAR.

To attend, contact the school and community relations office at 512-943-1890 or submit an email reservation to community relations@georgetownisd.org.

— Melissa B. Taboada, American-Statesman staff

LEANDER

District sets science seminars

The Leander school district's science department is creating the Life Science Institute, a series of free seminars on current issues and local resources related to life science for parents, teachers and community members.

The first seminar will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Feb. 2 at the Leo Center, 300 Southwest Drive. Guest speaker Pamela Owen will discuss the impact that wildfires have on local wildlife, and Christopher Murray will address how residents can experience nature in preserves in the Austin area. Other events are planned for later in February and in March.

"We are excited to bring the community together to broaden our knowledge about science, as well as the resources we have available to us right in our own backyard," said Linda Lippe, the district's elementary science coordinator. "The LISD Life Science Institute is a great way to bridge our knowledge and experiences from our classrooms to our living rooms, while engaging the whole family in the discovery that science brings."

To reserve a seat, call 570-0289.

— Melissa B. Taboada, American-Statesman staff

Hays County

SAN MARCOS

Human services funding on tap

The city is calling on human service agencies to apply for funding for the upcoming fiscal year.

The Human Services Advisory Board is scheduled to review applications and recommend agencies to the City Council this spring. Council members will then allocate funding.

Recent allocations to agencies such as the Hays County Food Bank, San Marcos Youth Services and the Greater San Marcos Seniors Association have totaled $401,142. City funding cannot be more than 50 percent of an agency's budget.

Applications are available at the Finance Department in the city's Municipal Building, 630 E. Hopkins St., or online at www.sanmarcostx.gov/departments/finance.

All funding requests must be received by 5 p.m. Feb. 6. The city won't consider late submissions.

— Ciara O'Rourke, American-Statesman staff

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